The Light That Fades
by LottieFarrell
Summary: Damon has found everything he'd ever wanted in a girl he found standing on the side of a road, but as he watches her and her parents go off the Wickery Bridge, he makes a drastic decision to save this girl and her life. Out of the shadows of death and despair, a love grows and people thought forgotten return and turmoil once again ensues.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N. Hi there. This is basically a 'Damon met Elena first' setting. So, Damon is actually the one that saves her, and Stefan will show up later, like a good little plot ruin-er. It's going to be written in first person a lot. Oh, well, ON WITH THE STORY! Feel free to review and let me know how it goes? :D**

ELENA

"Don't make a sound."

His breath was hot on my neck and sending chills down my spine. I'd stopped breathing what seemed a lifetime ago. He nipped at my neck gently and I leaned into his touch, his tongue darted out leaving a trail of electricity over my shoulder. I let out an involuntary moan before he spun me around and pressed his lips to mine, not moving, just feeling as if a piece of a jigsaw had been solved, as if my lips had been made for his. His hand reached up to caress my cheek and I shivered as my nerves were set alight. I tried to deepen the kiss, needing and wanting more of him, but he pulled away, a strange look on his face. "I'll be back." He whispered.

I felt him move from me and watched him leave the sanctuary of my room, quickly disappearing around the edge of my door. I took a deep breath, then focussed, I could hear slight noises down stairs, and then he was back just as quickly as he'd left with eyes ablaze.

"Your brother is home now." He whispered.

I breathed out, letting disappointment flood my senses as I turned and flopped onto my bed. The butterflies in my stomach wouldn't quiet. I doubted they ever would around him. How could something perceived as so wrong feel so right? Every touch set me on fire, every flash of his eyes had me feeling as though I were falling, free and unafraid. Nobody did that to me, except him.

I turned my attentions back to my current situation and noticed he was sauntering back over to me. He managed to make the move look graceful, where most would simply look comical. I smiled at him, feeling the air catch in my throat as he leant down and pressed his lips to my forehead. He was leaving. He didn't need to say it, I already knew.

I got up to press my hand to his cheek and I watched his face as it softened and he leant into my hand and kissed it gently. "I'll see you tomorrow, wont I?" I questioned.

"When do you ever not see me?"

And with that he'd disappeared out of my window. I stood for a moment staring out into the darkness thinking of his icy gaze. I reached one hand up and let my fingers rest on my lips, remembering the feel of his against mine, a small smile pulled at the sides of my mouth. I was happy, this is happiness.

STEFAN

She didn't know me any more than I knew her these days. All I knew about her was that she was everything that had haunted my dreams for the past 145 years, that her touch had completely destroyed me, and that her words had been like poison to my system after everything that had happened. But she wasn't the same as she'd once been; she seemed gentler, kinder and far more compassionate than she ever had been in my former life. It almost made me miss her, until I remembered everything she put me through. Yet, these changes were something I couldn't understand, how does one go from being the most manipulative person alive, to sweet and caring? But that wasn't what had me watching her lately. It was that she'd seemed to have taken time out to track down my brother. After all the times she'd claimed her love for me and whispered sweet nothings about being together forever, she'd left me alone in his shadow. I wanted to hate him; it was my fault that all this had happened to him, and hers. But she'd obviously found some way to bewitch him, with her sweet words and innocent act it didn't surprise me. The hate bubbled to the surface and I had to tear myself away from the porch of the house she'd forced her way into, before I confronted her and got myself killed trying to rip her apart the way she had me. I had to be smart about this, I had to have a plan, and a completely unflawed plan was what intended on having before going toe to toe with Katherine.

DAMON

She brought out the best in me, but she also wanted to let loose the beast. She had no idea of the tidal wave of emotions she caused me to have. She was sceptical at first, about me, about the way I hid everything with witty and sarcastic remarks, but unlike everyone else, she decided to dig deeper and see there was more. I'd never felt like I could depend on anyone since leaving my human life behind, but I could with her. When I first saw her, standing alone of the side of the road, I thought she was Katherine. But one conversation with her and you could spot everything that made her different. She may have looked identical in every physical way, but that's where the similarities end.

I walked over to my scotch cabinet and filled the bottom of my glass, supressing the urge to go out and stalk some tri-delt and steal their blood to they were borderline empty. She wouldn't like that. The thought made me smile. There was once a time when a faceless human would be the source of my next meal and I'd have no qualms about whose life I was cutting short, but I'd changed and for the better. I returned to my seat in the large seating area after lighting up the fire, when I heard the door open. Not being fazed by any trespassers, I simply sat and waited for them to waltz into my view. Well, at least I wasn't fazed until I saw who it was.

My little, long lost brother had just simply walked into my living room.

"Hello, Little Brother." I breathed.

**A/N. GOODNIGHT!**

**Hopefully, you'll have chapter 2 tomorrow :D**

**Lottie**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N. I don't own the Vampire Diaries in any way shape or form, I just like making my own story lines up. **

ELENA

My name is Elena Gilbert. Seven months ago, I had no idea who I was, or what I was meant to be doing with my life. I had the life, I guess you could say. I had the star football player as my boyfriend and was fronting every committee the school could throw at me. I did this while maintaining perfect grades and playing the perfect daughter. But now, I was stronger, I had a sense of direction in my life, and someone to show me that there was so much more. Seven months ago, I met a stranger on a lonely road and he made an impact on my life in a way no one ever had before. Seven months ago, my parent's drove off the Wickery Bridge with me in the car. They both died that night… And so did I.

My name is Elena Gilbert and I am not human. I am a vampire.

BONNIE

With all the crazy stuff going on lately, it's a miracle I'm keeping myself together. The supernatural world has been forced on me and shoved into every little crevice of my life and it sucked. My grandmother had always told me about my witchy heritage, but I had always thought she was just being crazy. But when this guy showed up at my grams' doorstep with my best friend lying unconscious in his arms, and my grams being uncharacteristically hostile, it left me little to no choice to start believing.

I remember that night nearly detail for detail. My grams had reluctantly let this man into her house and he carried Elena through the door and to the living area, where he placed her water soaked body on the rug in front of the fire. If it wasn't the fact that I was scared out of my mind for my best friend, screaming and crying, maybe I would've noticed the blood dripping from the side of her mouth. Although, while it went unnoticed by me, it didn't escape gram's notice. My grams voice broke my stupor, "What have you done to her?"

The guy stood there perplexed for a moment before responding.

"I saw her car go off Wickery Bridge. I was there in an instant, diving into the water. Her father was pointing at her madly, so I went to her, and she was barely alive. I dragged her to the surface and I did the only thing I knew would keep her alive. Even if she died."

"That was not your decision to make!" Grams hissed.

"I... I know."

He actually looked broken, it was odd. I'd never even seen this guy around before. Why would he be so torn up over Elena? None of this was making sense to me. I gradually snapped out of my own mental reverie, "What do you mean you could keep her alive even if she died? If she died, she's dead. That's it. You can't bring people back from the dead."

I looked to my grams, hoping she'd back me up but her eyes had grown dark and the man just stood there, looking the same. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but it seemed he was having trouble. He then looked directly at my grams and said, "When she wakes up, she's going to need blood." And with that he stalked out of the house.

"Grams, what does he mean by that? Why will she need blood?" By this point, I was borderline hysterical.

"Bonnie, calm down. I need to explain this to you, but while I do, I need you to be quiet and listen."

I nodded silently. And then she began to explain that there were some things in this world weren't simple and that my friend would not be the same girl she used to be. That she wouldn't be a girl anymore, but yet, she'd remain the same forever. And that when she woke up, she'd have a decision to make, and it was hers alone.

Elena woke up not too long after the conversation had ended. I had been holding her in my lap, pushing her hair from her face, when she jolted and gasped and rolled away from me.

"Bonnie… What, what am I doing here? How…? The bridge. The car. Bonnie, oh my god. Where are they?" The tears began to pool in her eyes.

My heart broke as I watched my best friend realise what she had lost. I could only pull her close, and whisper that things would be okay, and that she would get through this. It wasn't too long before Grams was crouching next to us, and placed her hand on Elena's shoulder.

"Elena, how do you feel?"

Elena hiccoughed slightly, before she answered, "Thirsty."

"I thought you might say that." Grams glowered.

"What?"

"You have a choice to make, girl. You can either die before the sun rises, or you can take some blood from me, and drink."

"What on Earth are you talking—"

"You didn't survive the crash, Elena. You were found by a vampire. And he decided you were worth saving. Whether he meant to save you or damn you, I don't know but if you feed on my blood, you will transition into a vampire."

Elena looked shell-shocked. As she looked around, she seemed like her whole world was falling, it was written all over her face. "I can't be dead. I can't. I'm not ready to die." She whispered.

No one but me had noticed the smirk on the man's face through the window as Elena had unsurely bitten into my Grams wrist.

And that was how I'd been thrown headlong into the unknown. My grams made her a daylight ring, so she still attends school and tries to be as normal as possible, but she's too different now. Her need for blood has driven a wedge between us. So has the relationship that she's sparked with that man. His name was Damon. And I hated him.

STEFAN

"Hello, Little Brother." He breathed.

I stared at him for a while, wondering what to say to someone you've spent over a hundred years hating for taking everything away from you. Really, what was there to say? I shook my head slightly. I needed him to think I was here for him. To rebuild our bond.

"Damon. What brings you here? All the happy memories?" I couldn't help the venom in my voice.

"Oh, you know. The scenery." He quipped.

I laughed out loud, he'd always been quick with his words. Always had to have the upper hand. It was beyond annoying, and I had no emotion left in me for him.

I smirked at him, "Look, I know you said we were going to be mortal enemies for the rest of eternity, but don't you think it's getting a little old now? I mean, you've been doing this for 145 years now? Call a truce with me, brother." I held my hand out to him.

Which he stared at, like he was contemplating something, then he got up, levelling his eyes with mine, "No."

Then he stalked out of the room, taking his empty cup with him.

Damon hadn't changed. And that was how I needed it to be. His stubbornness would be his downfall. I would make sure of that.

**A/N. I feel like I need to end it here. Goodnight!**

**Lottie x**


	3. Chapter 3

DAMON

Stefan was back. For what reason, I still had no idea. There was no way I was buying the whole "Let's be best brothers again!" line though. And honestly, any intention he had would have to be a bad one. If he's been looking around before showing up at the house, than he's probably seen Elena from afar, and made up some ridiculous connection to Katherine as I had at first. But whatever his imagination has cooked up has me more than a little worried for her.

With that thought consuming me, I downed the last of the scotch I'd poured myself, and grabbed the car keys off the table in the living area and headed out the door.

I pulled up at her house, everything seemingly normal, but something had me feeling edgy. As I got up to her front door, I didn't have time to knock. She must have heard me pull up and had pulled open her front door as I'd gotten there. I smiled at her, and this innocent look came across her face. Sometimes it was really easy to forget she was just as damned as I was. I was in her arms moments later, breathing in her sweet scent. "I missed you last night." She whispered.

I pulled back away from her, "Are you ready to go?"

She hadn't stopped going to school, and she seemed to have gained complete self-control of her cravings, so I had no intention of stopping her live her life as normal as possible.

"Yeah, I've just got to grab my back." She was back in a flash. Literally.

As we got into the car, I felt the need to warn her of my brother. "Look, Elena—"

"Well, this can't be good." She interrupted. "First, you didn't even say you missed me back, now you're all serious sounding too." Her voice was light and teasing, but I knew she was worried. She was just really good at hiding it for once.

"I have a brother." I stated.

She looked taken aback, and sort of like she was going to hit me. "What and you never felt the need to fill me in on this? You know everything about me, Damon. Everything!"

"Well, I kind of thought he was, out of the picture, for lack of better words." She was silent. Obviously waiting for me to get to the point.

"He came back last night. I don't what he's doing here, but I want you to be careful of anyone you don't know, alright?"

Her mouth was set in a straight line, but she nodded silently and stared out the window. Soon we were pulling into the parking lot at her school and she turned to look at me. "I still can't believe you kept this from me. But, I'll be careful and we'll be talking about this later." She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek before getting out of the car and walking into her 'normal' life.

STEFAN

High school was a dreary experience. But Katherine seemed to put herself through it on a daily basis, actually taking to befriending humans. So, I would do the same until I figured out her agenda.

I casually strolled up to the administration area, and handed them some papers, the lady sifted through them quickly, and looked up at me confused, "Mr Salvatore, I'm sorry but I can't enrol you today, you don't even have half the forms required."

I looked her directly in her eyes, holding her gaze, "Take another look. Everything you need is there."

"Oh, how silly of me, of course, here it is." She had a light blush on her cheeks as she fumbled for a moment. The compulsion working its way through her system. Moments later, she handed me my timetable. History was first up and I had to hold in my sigh of boredom. I wasn't really in the mood for reliving my childhood.

I made my way to the classroom stated on the paper, and entered the room. There was a man with stubble at the board, writing what I presumed to be his name across it in block letters. I took a seat in the back, easier to observe everything then. And while I was expecting to be bored out of my mind for the next hour, I wasn't expecting her to walk in. She entered the room gracefully, with her arm hooked through a shorter girl's arm, and a radiant smile on her face. My breath caught. I suddenly didn't want her to notice me, but that notion was short lived, she caught my eye and she didn't try to run or jump at me, or scream or even look fazed by my appearance, but she did smile at me. A small smile that one might give strangers. I just watched her, I couldn't do anything else, not in a room full of teenagers, I could only watch, as she took a seat three seats ahead and to the left of me. I then saw a blonde girl enter the room, and she stopped as she saw me and stared. It was actually awkward; I raised my eyebrows at her, before turning my attentions back to Katherine. I duly noted she sat next to Katherine, and leant across and placed a note on her desk, at which point, Katherine turned around and looked at me.

There was something different about her. Bile rose up in my throat looking at her and suddenly I couldn't do it anymore. I got up and walked out of the class room. Intent on finding my brother.

CAROLINE

What was it about Elena that had boys falling over their faces to get near her? I was perfect. Well, not perfect, I had my flaws. I was insecure, and jealous, and slightly insane. But, once you overlook that, I was pretty awesome. Yet, first glances always had them going for Elena. I'd walked into my class, ready to start the day on a good note, and it was almost the best day I'd had in a while. There was a new guy sitting in the back, with this tousled, brown hair and these green eyes that sort of burned a hole through you, and he'd even raised his eyebrows at me, but apparently that was in question as to why I was staring, because he quickly dropped my gaze and returned his to Elena. I know she was supposed to be my best friend and everything, but I kind of hated her. I turned to find Matt was still holding a candle for her, not literally, but romantically and I wondered at how, even after everything she'd pulled on him, he still looked at her like that. I shook my head, and pulled out a piece of paper and scribbled _'Creeper in the back is staring at you.' _And leant over and placed it on her table.

I watched her turn and give a small smile to the guy, and I watched with semi-smug satisfaction as he got up and stormed out of the room. It seemed I was wrong. Maybe this guy was different, and didn't see Elena as a shining beacon of light straight off the bat.

ELENA

'_Creeper in the back is staring at you.' _I read.

Caroline could be so non-empathetic to people's feelings sometimes. Poor guy was probably nervous and just wanted to make friends. But Caroline just had to label him, I turned back to look at him, and give him a small smile, let him know that he was in a welcome environment. He didn't seem to like that; instead he got up and left without a second glance back. And suddenly, Damon's voice hit me. _'Be careful of anyone you don't know'._ And I certainly didn't know that guy. But I suddenly had a good idea of who he was. I set my focus back on the class, my mouth pressed into a hard line as I thought of what this could mean.

**A/N. Sorry for the couple day wait [: Um, first off, if anyone would like to be beta or just go over these before I publish them just pm me. I would be grateful, because, I'm not the greatest writer and figured maybe it could be better if someone guided it a bit. **

**Lottie x**


	4. Chapter 4

**BONNIE**

Ever since that night my powers had been growing and Grams had been helping me and showing me all these really cool, old spell books. I could only do really basic spells at the moment, but I was gaining power unusually fast according to Grams. She had a theory that I was growing so quickly was because I felt compelled to help Elena and really, that idea wasn't too far off. While I may hate the lifestyle she's been forced into, she was my best friend and I couldn't not help her.

I'd been walking up the hallway at school, when this guy had come barging out of the classroom I needed to get to. I wasn't already in there, because thanks to the late night spell practice, I'd overslept, and was late again. All that was forgotten though when he brushed past me, the contact of his skin sending a cold chill down my spine. I turned and watched him leave my corridor wondering why his touch had affected me so negatively. I took another glance at the classroom I was supposed to be entering, before deciding to follow the mysterious guy.

I took off in a light jog, and turned onto the corridor I saw him go down, but he was nowhere in sight. I slowed down and walked towards the exit doors, making sure to be extra cautious. There was something really off about this entire situation, and the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach wasn't exactly telling me any different. Despite my caution, it wasn't until I was pushing through the exit doors; I decided to check behind me. I turned around slowly and was met by a pair of brilliant, green eyes staring deeply into my own. "Looking for something?"

His voice was like honey and opposed to the scowl he wore earlier, his face was now light and welcoming, the corners of his eyes crinkling as a smile pulled at his lips. I had to take a step back, "No, uh, I forgot something…" I replied, whilst awkwardly pointing towards the parking lot.

My answer seemed to amuse him, and his smile grew, revealing a row of perfect, white teeth. He then held out his hand, "I'm Stefan, by the way."

I must've looked daft, because I just stood there and stared at his hand as if it were a dangerous bug, "This is usually the part where you say _your_ name and shake my hand."

He was teasing me.

"Bonnie."

I made a point of not taking his hand.

He shrugged his shoulders and let his hand fall back down to his side. "Alright then," He walked past me, "It was nice meeting you, Bonnie."

"Yeah." Was my brilliant response, my unease making me unable to be civil.

**DAMON**

I heard him before I saw him and as soon as he was through the front door; I was standing there waiting for him. But the smug look he had on his face as he stopped in front of me had me feeling slightly uneasy.

"Damon." He said in a way of greeting as he tried to push past me.

I jerked my hand out in front of him to stop him going any further, but as I did a look of utter hatred and disgust crossed his face, it was gone a moment later, but not fast enough that I didn't see it. It was a look I hadn't seen since his days as a ripper and that in itself was enough to cement my idea that he wasn't here on good intentions.

"I don't trust you, Stefan."

And instead of saying anything sarcastic, he laughed. I hit him, maybe a little too hard, and he flew back into the wall. When he finally raised his eyes they were ablaze with anger and bloodlust. "I may have hated what you did to me for well over a century brother, but it led me to something that I wouldn't and I won't give up. Don't. Get. In. My. Way!"

I turned away, ready to head upstairs and attempt to forget he was here, but before I could reach the steps I felt him grab my shirt and then as he flung me across the living area. I was up an instant later, teeth bared, ready for the fight he was presenting. My consistency in diet arrangements had always left me stronger than him and he knew it.

"You're right, Damon. I'm not here for fun, or to rekindle our lost brotherly bond, I'm here to destroy you. That eternity of misery you promised me, it'll be yours, Damon. Not mine. "

He was gone seconds after the last word left his lips, and before I had time to fully process what he was saying, I felt the incessant buzzing of my cell phone, the only thing keeping me from flinging it across the room and shattering it, was the small block letters flickering across the screen that spelled out Elena's name.

I slid the pad of my thumb across the screen, accepting her call.

"Damon?"

"Yeah. What's up?"

"Your brother," she whispered, "I think he was at my school today."

I growled audibly. "I'll be there soon."

And with that I shoved the phone back into my pocket and went to walk out my front door. I was stopped by the small witchy bitch. She was looking at me funny, and it was a good minute before she said anything, and when she did, I didn't like it.

**ELENA**

After my brilliant epiphany, his dark eyes had haunted my entire afternoon. And after Damon had warned me about him, the only place I felt safe was my house. No other vampire could get in here unless they had Jeremy's permission. A couple of times, I'd convinced myself I was being scared for no reason, he probably only showed up to try and mend his bond with his brother. Obviously, there'd been a rift there that had been hard to fix when they were human, but every time, I'd remembered the glare he'd sent my direction.

I began pacing my bedroom, what was taking Damon so long to get here?

I decided to head downstairs and kill time, see how Jeremy was doing. Ever since I'd come back to him, with our parents dead and myself being not so human, he'd been distant and resorting to substance abuse in attempt to forget, I guessed. "Jeremy?" I called out as I headed down the steps.

He was coming out of the lounge room and heading for the backdoor when I'd called and I got the bottom of the stairs just in time for him to turn around and practically hiss at me. "What, Elena?" He raised his eyebrows, "Want to give me another lecture? Because, in case you haven't noticed, the first fifty you gave me didn't work, so don't waste your breath, alright?" He went to open the back door.

"Wait, Jer. That's not it. I miss you. I feel like I never see you anymore."

The doorbell rang.

Jeremy nodded towards the door, "That's not my fault, Elena."

I watched him leave, feeling kind of sorry for myself. I knew I hadn't make time for him recently, but with the way he was constantly hanging around Vicki, I didn't think he'd noticed all that much. I turned towards the door and headed over to it, pulling it open, expecting to see Damon. Instead it was _him_. Staring at me with his dark gaze and perfectly composed features. I figured I would try and diffuse the situation before I flat out told him to leave, "Uh, hi. You're Damon's brother aren't you?" I placed a fake smile on my face.

His eyes narrowed, "Don't play stupid, it never suited you and don't pretend like you don't know me."

I was taken aback, but managed a small laugh, "Look, I don't know why you're here, or who you think I am, but I don't know you. And I'd appreciate it if you left now."

It was as I was trying to close my door on him, I saw firsthand the effect of vampires trying to enter somewhere they weren't welcome. As his hand came up in attempt to keep my door open, it was like an electric zap coursed through him, and he jerked back staring at my door in disbelief.

It was at that moment Damon's car pulled into my drive way and seconds later he was on my porch, dragging the guy I assumed was his brother off my porch. "What're you doing here, Stefan?" Damon spat out.

So his name was Stefan. It seemed to suit him somehow. "Just came to say hello to Katherine. But she's playing stupid." He leaned around his brother and looked directly at me, "Aren't you, Kat?"

At the sound of the name, Damon bent his head down so he was at eye level with Stefan and whispered in the most dangerous voice I'd ever heard come from him, "She is _not _Katherine. Her name is _Elena_. And this," The look in his eyes was positively viscous as he said the last part, "This is the last time I see you anywhere near her."

Stefan laughed at him and Damon growled in response, it was only if you were looking closely you noticed Stefan's face fall a little. "She's got you fooled, brother." Stefan yelled as he disappeared off my property and into the darkness.

After a moment of letting himself cool down, Damon began walking towards me. I heard his voice saying my name, but something in my memory had clicked. The first night Damon and I met, he'd called me Katherine. And now, his brother was convinced I was some girl named Katherine.

"Elena?" Damon's voice sounded closer now.

I looked him dead in the eye. "Who the hell is Katherine?" I whispered.

Damon's eyes turned dark and for a moment he looked like he was struggling for words. It looked like this was going to be a long story he'd never intended on telling me.

**A/N. Thank you to the reviewer who told me to stop bolding, once I read it from the website, I got what you meant about it being distracting. :D**

**Anyways, thanks for the reviews and follows guys (:**

**Lottie x**


	5. Chapter 5

**DAMON**

"Who the hell is Katherine?"

Her words hung in the air, while her eyes were staring holes into me. I was hopelessly aware that I'd been standing there slack jawed for the past five minutes, with her waiting for me say something. Anything. But my thoughts were a mess, who was Katherine? Did I really know her myself? All I knew was she had stolen my heart and I hadn't felt like it'd been returned to me until Elena first wrapped her hand around mine. How was I supposed to explain this to her, when I could barely explain Katherine to myself?

Finally, I took a deep breath, ready to at least try to explain.

"Elena, please don't say anything until I'm finished." She nodded silently as I guided her towards the sofa in her living room.

"When I was human, mine and Stefan's father took in a young woman he believed to be an orphan and she was brilliant. She was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen and I fell in love with her. But it wasn't just my eye she had caught. Stefan had also set his sights on her, and I had no idea at the time, but she played us both for fools. She messed with our minds to the point where sibling rivalry turned into hate. You see, Katherine is the reason I'm here right now." I paused for a moment. Wondering how to continue, how could I put Katherine into words?

"You see, Katherine was a vampire and when I died trying to save her life with Stefan, we had her blood in our systems. She'd been feeding from us and fixing us with her blood all the while compelling us to forget every memory where she was anything but human. But when we were trying to save her, we also had no idea that she'd planned that night to a tee. There was a council, much like the one we have today, and they'd found out about her and the rest of the vampires in the area at the time. So, she decided to massacre of all the vampires in the area, all to save herself. Originally I'd thought she'd been locked in a tomb beneath a now abandoned church and burnt with the rest of them, but not too long ago I learned she never made it into the tomb, and that she'd escaped while the rest of her kind burned."

Elena's face was stiff, she was listening as I'd talked, but whether she understood, I didn't know.

"When I woke up, Stefan was nowhere in sight. I was alone. I was remembering strange things and had no idea what was wrong with me, at least, not until Stefan returned with a girl in her early teens with a slight cut along her throat. It was when I took note of Stefan, I became scared. He was covered in blood, and he had a deranged look in his eyes as he thrust the young girl in my direction, telling me that with one drink of her blood I would be powerful and see the world in a new light. I had no intention of taking the girl's blood; Katherine was dead. What reason did I have to go on? But Stefan insisted and pushed the girl into me and forced my head onto her neck. From the moment I turned, I hated Stefan and everything he'd ever taken from me. It was only recently I'd learned she never went into the tomb. But I'd heard whispers that she'd headed back to Mystic Falls—"

"Damon, what do you mean _'Back to Mystic Falls'_?"

"I was born here, Elena. Just on the outskirts of town near the Lockwood house."

She looked to shocked to say anything else at this point, so I continued with my story.

"Hearing that she'd returned here though… That's what lead me here. I've spent most of my life in love with Katherine and Stefan has spent his hating her, for being with me as well as him, and leaving him. I came here looking for her, but I found you instead. On the side of the road, all alone, cell phone in hand. And I thought you were her. I thought I'd found her at long last. But one conversation with you, and I knew you weren't her. One conversation with you, and even though it was like I was staring at her, I forgot about her."

She was silent for a moment, pondering what she was hearing. It wasn't too long before she started to say something, she looked like was stumbling for a way to say it, but eventually, she turned to me and her eyes narrowed. "Damon, why would you and brother think I was a girl from over a century ago?"

I took a deep breath, and this was where I knew she would have the biggest problem.

"You look exactly like her, Elena. Exactly, like her."

Her face crumpled, 'What, Damon? Am I just some sick replacement for her?"

She stood up and walked away from me and I got up and grabbed hold of her arm and spun her around to me.

"Elena, no, you're different. You may look like her, but you couldn't be more different from her."

"I need you to leave. I need to think."

The words hit me like a slap in the face as she jerked her arm out of my grip and folded them defensively across her chest. I'd been expecting it from the moment she'd uttered Katherine's name, but it hurt more than I thought it would.

I turned silently, and walked towards her door, there was no point arguing with her right now, I needed to let her process this. "Elena, I'm sorry."

She just looked at me tight lipped before turning away from me.

**STEFAN**

The modern music pulsed through the walls as I walked into the Mystic Grill, I wasn't entirely certain what I was looking for would be here, but I was certain I'd find something I could use either way. When I'd knocked on Katherine's door before, moments before she opened it, I noticed a guy slipping around the side of the house onto the main road. He was what I was searching for. He'd be the perfect leverage, seeing as by the way she had been arguing with him she cared about him.

Two minutes and thirty seven seconds later, I had him spotted; he was in the corner with a tall, dark haired girl. She was currently leaning across the table towards him while holding a hand gently in hers. I decided this would be the perfect moment to introduce myself. I casually stalked over to their tables, I saw him raise his eyes at me in question as he saw me headed their direction, and I saw them quickly turn to utter confusion as I slid into the booth next to the girl. As soon as she felt me next to her she pressed herself up against the corner of the booth, "Um, no offence, but who the hell are you?"

"I'm Stefan." I said while flashing a small smile at her.

I could practically see her forgetting her boy toy across the table in that brief second before he broke the moment.

"And I'm Santa Claus. What do you want?"

Apparently he didn't miss the look in his little girlfriend's eyes.

"I'm new in town. Just trying to make some friends. Are you really Santa? Because, I was told a long time he didn't exist."

He didn't laugh. Apparently I wasn't as funny as I though.

"I'm Jeremy, and this is Vicki." He said while jerking a thumb in her direction.

"Jeremy, your name sounds familiar… You know Elena right?"

"Yeah, she's my sister." He shrugged his shoulders. "How do you know her?"

"Oh, she's dating my brother."

Vicki, who'd been silent until now, decided her voice was being missed. "You're related to Damon? _No way._"

Now I was left with no other option than to conclude she was an idiot and going to be the easier target here. "I just said that." I smiled at her again.

Jeremy raised his eyebrows at her. "Vicki, weren't we going back to…" He trailed off as he gestured behind him in no direction.

Her back straightened out. "Oh! Right!" She turned to me. "I'm so sorry, Stefan. It was Stefan right? Jeremy and I have somewhere to be. But it was really great meeting you." She lunged over me, sliding herself across me then stood and reached over to Jeremy and pulled him up by his hand.

Jeremy smiled at me with a smug expression on his face. It seemed a little on the fake side though. "Yeah, sorry man. It was good to meet you though." He held out his free hand to me and I grasped it.

"Sure, you too. We'll catch up soon." I said whilst letting go of his hand.

**BONNIE**

I grabbed the glass of water off the kitchen and called out a quick goodnight to Grams before heading up the stairs to bed. When I opened the door, I nearly dropped the glass. There was a full grown Damon in my room. He was leaning over my desk casually flipping pages of the grimoire that was sitting on top.

"Damon." I half growled. "What the hell are you doing here?"

He looked at me and raised his eyebrows. "You've always given me such warm welcomes. Makes me wonder why I don't visit you more often."

You could hear the sarcasm dripping off his words, and I was growing ever more partial to the idea of dumping my water on his head. But seeing as that wouldn't do anyone any favours, I walked over to my desk and closed the book, nearly snapping his fingers between the pages.

"Hey, watch it!"

I raised my eyebrows at him and placed my water on the desk and went over and sat on my bed. I gestured toward the desk chair, waving at it, indicating he would sit. "Seriously, what do you want?"

He sat down and looked thoughtful for a moment. "It's really about Elena."

"Is something wrong with her? Is the daylight ring Grams made not working?" The mention of Elena's name made me worry instantly.

"No, no. It's fine. But, I need to you to learn something. It's like a spell, but I've never heard anyone say anything while they're doing it."

"Damon, you know I'm not advanced enough to do anything big. I can barely lift feathers."

He looked a little exasperated now. "I know that. That's why I'm going to help you. Give you a little incentive or something like that."

Now, I was a little worried. "What do you need me to learn?"

"I need you to learn how to put vampires down with a single glance. I've seen witches do it before."

I looked at him like he'd gone a little crazy. Which at this point, I was sure he had. "I don't know if I can do that."

He threw his hands up, "We'll get your Grams to help, and you can use me to practice on. Apparently having strong dislike of something helps."

I laughed a little. This plan was sounding better and better, but there was a little nagging voice at the back of my head asking the same question over and over again. "Why do I need to learn this? And what does it have to do with Elena?"

He bit his lip, and for a second I could see why Elena was so attracted to him. It was like he'd been sculpted. But then you know, he'd go and open his mouth and any thought you'd be having about him would be diminished by the fact he was a complete ass.

"My brother has decided to visit and he'd not exactly here for a family reunion. We've never been on good terms since we turned and he basically stated he was here for revenge. My problem is I don't put it past him to try and hurt Elena to get to me. Not that I think she's unable to protect herself, but I have to go out of town soon to look for someone and I won't be here to protect her and I'd feel a lot better if I knew you were around her all the time and you knew how to incapacitate him with a look."

I was silent for a moment as I took in everything he was saying. It made sense, next to him, I was probably the safest person she could have next to her and as her best friend, I would do anything to protect her. "Alright. I'll do it. But who is he? I don't even know his name."

"His name is Stefan."

And with that, the memory of the hallway came rushing back to slap me right in the face. "I know who he is. He was at the school the other day."

"Yeah, he'll probably be showing up there often. Be prepared for that, but act normal unless he tries anything."

"When do we start?" I asked quietly.

He contemplated that for a moment, "Tomorrow."

I nodded and he got up and headed over to my window.

"Thank you, Bonnie." He whispered so quietly I almost missed it.

"No problem." I whispered into my now empty room.

I laid back in my bed and pulled the covers up to my chin wondering if I'd be strong enough for this and how I was going to deal with close contact with Damon. But eventually I began to drift off, my thoughts straying to the green eyed boy.

**A/N: I apologise for taking so long to upload this, but I really didn't like it at first and had to go back over and fill in plot holes and yada yada yada and I just really didn't want to post something that I didn't feel was ready yet. So, sorry again for the wait, but hopefully it was worth it (:**

**Lottie x**


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